The present invention relates generally to improved mounting and dismounting of wheels from vehicles. More particularly it relates to a means for rapid and reliable mounting and dismounting of wheels and also relates to the hub mount which makes this possible.
It is well recognized that the way in which wheels are mounted to and dismounted from automobiles has not changed in many years. Further it is recognized that the prevalent means and method are awkward and unreliable. For example, to change a tire using the prevalent means and method available today requires that a set of lug nuts be removed from a set of hub lugs extending out from a hub plate mounted to the end of an automobile axle. The hub lugs are each characterized by a set of external threads on which the lug nuts are threaded to hold the wheel in place. The removal of the lugs from these threads is a difficult task and considerable force must be applied to a lug wrench to first loosen the nuts and before they can be removed. When the wrench slips damage can be done to the threads. Mechanics often tighten these lug nuts to a degree which makes it difficult to loosen them at road side when changing a tire in an emergency.
Further, after the lug bolts have been removed the wheel itself must be removed over the same threads. The chance for damage to the threads both during the removal of a wheel with a flat tire and also during the remounting of the wheel after the flat tire has been repaired or replaced is appreciable. This is particularly so when the flat tire occurs at some remote spot where no mechanic is available, and the person removing the wheel with the flat tire replaces it with a wheel with a spare tire. The difficulty of lifting the tire in a crouched position at a roadside puts a strain not only on the unfortunate driver but also on the equipment, and particularly on the threads of the lug nuts.
Numerous attempts have been made to deal with problems associated with the ease and efficiency of mounting and dismounting wheels from vehicles. Among the patents which have been issued which deal with this and closely related subjects are the following: U.S. Pat. Nos. 654,472; 514,348; 4,043,685; 258,557; 4,776,640. However none of these patents present a solution to the problem of rapid and reliable mounting and dismounting of wheels which is comparable to the method and mechanism which is presented herewith.
For these and other reasons it would be highly desirable to provide an auto hub mechanism which did not involve the exposure of threads of the mechanism to the tools and wheels which must be employed in changing tires and most often in changing wheels.
In addition a problem arises from the fact that the lug nuts are separated from the hub lugs during the changing procedure. There is often a danger of misplacing the lug nuts or of getting them contaminated with sand or grit which is so frequently encountered at roadside when changing a tire. When the sand or grit gets in the lug nuts it interferes with the remounting of the lug nuts on the hub lugs and this adds to the difficulty and aggravation of the person changing the tire.
In addition each lug nut must be dealt with individually and all four or five must be individually removed and individually replaced. The difficulty of starting the threading of each lug nut, and particularly of the first one while the tire is being perilously balanced to avoid bruised or scraped fingers or hands is a difficulty which is all too familiar to drivers who have had to change tires at roadside. For younger drivers, women drivers and older drivers who lack the needed strength and agility of a skilled mechanic the danger of injury while changing a tire is greater.
One more desirable feature of a hub system for an automobile is that of being able to change the tire more quickly and reliably. It is not a pleasant experience to have to spend time in the night at some remote spot in going through all of the steps presently required to change a tire.